Rose's Lion
by Artemis the Rebel
Summary: This is the tale of how I think Lion was created, why, and how he is connected to Rose. Rating will probably not change. One-sided Pearl/Rose and Rose/Greg so far. The story will center around Rose and Lion. I hope you enjoy! (WARNING, there are some spoilers, but most of them I'll make sure to keep small.)
1. Chapter 1

1

 _ **R**_ _ose_ _ **Q**_ _uartz_ walked back into the temple, holding her layered pink skirts out of the way of her feet as she hurried forward.

Pearl, as usual, was leaning against the wall near the warp pad, watching as Rose returned. Rose was oblivious to the younger Gem's narrowed blue eyes, crossed skinny arms, and upturned pointy nose.

"With _Greg_ again?" Pearl asked. Rose didn't notice that her voice was dripping with hatred and jealousy.

"Mhm." Rose barely responded as she walked past Pearl and the warp pad towards the door to the different Gems' rooms.

Pearl turned to stare after her. _"Really,"_ she prodded coldly.

"Mhm," Rose mumbled again, absentmindedly half-listening as she opened the doorway to her chamber of fluffy, peach-colored clouds.

Pearl's left eye twitched. "You were supposed to go on a _mission_ with me today!" she blurted out angrily. "We have to check on the _Geode!"_

 _"Oh!_ I'm sorry, Pearl! I thought Garnet would tell you - she went to check on it herself so I could go to Greg's concert." Rose glanced back at Pearl apologetically.

Pearl didn't look appeased. In fact, she looked even _angrier._

"I'll go on the next mission, I promise," Rose told her gently.

Pearl's face lit up hopefully. "With me?"

"With whomever," Rose replied cheerfully, turning away again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Pearl - I've got something I need to do. Can you make sure Amethyst isn't trying to eat the ocean again?" She giggled profusely.

Pearl scowled behind Rose's back and twirled around. "Of _course,_ Rose." She stomped off, bitter.

Still grinning and forever innocently heedless of Pearl's feelings, Rose rushed into her room. The door swirled shut and vanished behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

2

 _ **R**_ _ose_ _ **g**_ _lanced_ around, then took a deep breath, her smile fading away as it rarely ever did. This wish was going to be her hardest and most complicated wish yet - and most likely her last.

Rose exhaled and focused, feeling her gem begin to glow on her stomach. "Room... there will be a day when I give up my physical form to become part of another. I need a being who can protect and guide that someone. A being who has all the abilities needed to take him anywhere he wishes, defend him with the ferocity of a lion, and connect us - and a being who he will undoubtedly love. And... who has the ability to function as its _own_ self, outside and independent of you, Room." Rose lifted her head. "If you need something from me to create this individual... then, please, take it."

Slowly but surely, a mound began to rise from the room's cloudy floor. It lifted, shifted, and churned. Rose stood for five whole minutes, watching in awe as the clouds took shape.

She was surprised at first to see that the room had formed a lion made of fluffy clouds, but she certainly wasn't disappointed. And besides - her astonishment faded some once she realized she'd asked the room to create a being who could _defend with the ferocity of a_ _ **lion.**_

Rose warily approached the lion. It didn't react to her presence, and didn't look very real at all. Her heart would have sunk, had she shapeshifted one.

 _"No,_ Room," Rose moaned softly. "I need it to -"

Suddenly, a single bubble of cloud rose up from the floor. She stared it for a stunned, curious moment. "Room, what-"

Rose cut herself off with a shriek of surprise and slight pain as the cloud unexpectedly merged with her gem. She felt abruptly weak, and even began to feel dizzy. She nearly started to run for help from Pearl, but before she could, the little cloud left her gem again.

Rose stared after it in alarm, her dizziness and fear already beginning to subside, as the ball of pink cloud (which was now glowing brightly) drifted up to the lion the room had made. The orb stopped, split into two, and flew into the lion's face, forming the two, angular eyes. They blazed ominously into Rose's very soul.

Rose stepped back, almost starting to feel afraid.

 _Is this really what I wanted?.._


	3. Chapter 3

3

 _ **B**_ _efore_ _ **R**_ _ose's_ very eyes, the motionless cloud lion's pelt began to smooth down, becoming true, pink fur. It formed a long, tufted tail and a huge mane that rather reminded Rose of her own hair (and, coincidentally, the cotton candy sold on the boardwalk). And then the lion... _moved._

It turned its head towards Rose Quartz and fixed its unblinking, burning gaze on her.

Rose froze, terrified of her own creation.

But the huge, fluffy lion blinked and the glow suddenly subsided, leaving mere normal eyes that were uncannily similar to hers.

Rose gasped in starry-eyed wonder as the lion immediately proceeded to look around. Then it flopped down hard onto its belly.

Rose crept daringly closer. "Are you... friendly?"

The lion glanced up at her with a sleepiness that edged on boredom.

Rose stared back down at it anxiously. "Is that a yes?"

The lion merely continued to gaze at her, nonchalant.

"I'll take it as a yes," Rose decided, then hesitantly, daintily sat beside it, tense and ready to summon her shield.

The lion did nothing.

Rose's eyes grew starry again. "Do you have a name, Mr. Lion?"

It still did not respond, aside from the twitching of one furry pink ear.

Rose studied it for a moment. She didn't know much about lions, except that they were fierce (of course), looked something like this, and only the male ones had big, poofy fur on their heads (and, in this one's case, chest). So this lion, too, must be male, and since he didn't have a name, she'd have to think one up herself. After all, she had to call him _something,_ and it would be silly (albeit ADORABLE) to continue referring to him as "Mr. Lion". Or just "Lion", for that matter, though that would be pretty cute as well.

No, this lion definitely should have a more creative name than that - at least, until her little Gem was born. Then that Gem could give the lion whatever lovable name he wished.

Rose frowned as she watched the sleepy lion, deep in thought.

Looks should certainly be taken into account when naming most things, Rose knew. And the lion's most obvious feature (aside from being a lion) was that, like Rose, he was very, _very_ pink. And since his fantastical ability to actually be _alive_ had almost _definitely_ come from her own gem, Rose decided that the lion should have a Gem name.

The fact that he was pink and would be a loyal friend to the end for Rose's future son reminded her sadly of one of her closest friends, Rhodocrosite. Rhodocrosite had been incredibly brave, fierce in battle, and had been willing to sacrifice _everything_ for the Crystal Gems' cause during the Homeworld War. The remaining few Gems who had survived - Garnet, Pearl, and Rose - had looked and looked... but they had never found all the pieces of Rhodocrosite's shattered gem.

Rose, suddenly determined to honor her amazing friend, gazed down at the lion. "How does Rhodocrosite sound to you?"

The lion opened his eyes and glanced up at her.

Rose's dark eyes filled with huge stars for a third time. "Do you like it? Blink if you like it."

Rose subtly blew into his eyes. Startled, the lion blinked.

Rose gasped in delight and threw her arms around the fluffy lion without a second thought. "Oh, wonderful!"

Rhodocrosite blinked again in astonishment, then slowly closed his eyes and issued a loud, rumbling purr.

Rose's awe only increased at that.


	4. Chapter 4

4

 _ **R**_ ose spent the rest of the afternoon in her room, playing with Rhodocrosite. Rose summoned up some yarn and boxes for him to play with and screamed with laughter as she watched him go crazy over them. She'd seen a human child entertain a cat with them before, but even that hadn't been _nearly_ as funny as a giant lion playing with those little things!

Rose also loved playing the game of hide-and-seek with Rhodocrosite. She would hide in a puffy mound of cloud and wait for him, giggling. He would run all over, wide-eyed as he pounced on different clouds. Then she would giggle, and Rhodocrosite would come sprinting over in triumph. They did this countless times, and he didn"t mind at all. Rose loved that - and she had quite rapidly fallen in love with him.

However, all good things had to come to an end. At some point, while dangling a piece of string over Rhodocrosite's head, Rose suddenly realized that the Gems might be looking for her. They might need her. Rose dropped the string and stared down at her lion, her gleeful smile fading. She had to go.

"I'm sorry, Rhodocrosite," she told him quietly. "I need to go back to the temple."

As she turned away, he abruptly abandoned the string and leapt to his paws. He bolted forward, then swung around, blocking her path and staring at her with wide eyes.

Rose paused, gazing back in slight alarm. "Wha- I have to go, Rhodocrosite." She gazed at him in confusion. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Rhodocrosite did not budge. He gazed at her unblinkingly.

Rose hesitantly moved forward again, attempting to walk around him. He again jumped into her path.

"Rhodocrosite!" Rose exclaimed, hurriedly stopping before she could trip into him. "Bad lion," she scolded softly. "You need to let me leave! I'll be back tomorrow, though, I promise!" She patted his head gently, then skirted around and continued on.

To her relief, he didn't block her a third time. "Room, may I see the door to the temple, please?" she queried politely.

The clouds ahead of her parted, revealing her temple door. She beamed. "Thank you, Room!"

Rose hurried towards it, but abruptly heard pawsteps behind her. She froze, then glanced over her shoulder and moaned. _"No,_ Rhodocrosite! I'm sorry, and I really, _really_ wish you could, but you can't come with me," she added softly, turning to stroke his enormous mane. "I don't want the other Gems to know I made you. I want you to be just for my baby, from me. I won't be able to be there for him to show him the special things I would like him to have when the time is right, things that the Gems won't be able to give him." A tear escaped her eyes to roll down her face and she gave Rhodocrosite a gentle hug. Oh, how fluffy and soft he was. "Would you do that for me one day?"

Finally, he seemed to understand. As she pulled away towards the temple door, her gaze lingering sadly on him, he merely sat there, gazing back.

And once she was gone, he remained there, waiting patiently for her return.

:::


End file.
